Sleep could solve errors within the Memory

Whilst it may seem obvious that lack of sleep could cause reduced concentration and thus a worse memory, recent studies have shown that any errors one may have within their memories could be rectified by a better night’s sleep. From the young to the old, many will find that things become easily muddled within the mind, and lacking in sleep will only add to this confusion.

A number of tests were carried out on different groups of people, with different groups having different amounts of sleep and the tests being carried out at different times of the day. The end result showed that people who received longer durations of sleep had better memories. This is because when we sleep our mind converts our short-term memories into long-term ones which will enable us to retain information better and obviously for longer periods of time. A helpful tip for all those who feel that cramming all night before an exam is a good idea, could find themselves wrong as the brain cannot process all of the information without a good night’s sleep! 


Not only does a lack of sleep after studying and so on lead to the person being unable to retain the information, it can also lead to the errors of the mind that were discussed earlier. Someone who sleeps healthily after they have studied will find that the information processed the day before is clearer and more correct than someone who has slept little or not at all. Whilst research has shown that lack of sleep can lead to a lack in concentration, it is still unclear as to why false memories can occur due to lack of sleep.

Perhaps if you do find that you suffer from mistaken memories, errors in you concentration, then rather than blaming it on your age and so on, you assess whether you sleep is sufficient enough to maintain your memory! Equally, if you are studying, it is maybe time you put down the books and went to sleep…

Wednesday 16th September 2009

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